Avian influenza, or bird flu, is caused by the avian influenza virus. This virus is related to the influenza virus that causes “the flu” in people every year, but it differs substantially in its ability to infect and move between humans. Avian influenza normally infects wild waterfowl and does not typically make them sick, but it can also infect domesticated birds such as chickens, ducks and turkeys — making them extremely sick and often killing them. Avian influenza infections among domesticated birds cause substantial losses to the agricultural industry and they pose a significant threat to human health.

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